Evaporator



May 20, 1947.

O IZATI ON 46 I cwmor.

A. VANG EVAPORATOR Filed May 5, 1945 INVENTOR. AL FKED VANG.

BY flay h w ATiOR/VEY Patented May 20, 1947 EVAPORATOR Alfred Vang, New York, N. Y.

Application May 5, 1945, Serial No. 592,205

2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in evaporators and to means and methods for cooling air and other gases by evaporating liquids, and more particularly to apparatus and devices for agitating the surface of a liquid and reducing the pressure thereon by evaporating means,

One object of the invention is to provide an improved device or apparatus of this kind, which may be used in ordinary dwelling houses without special fixture for its operation and which may be used for cooling effects or for humidifying air.

Another object of the invention is to provide a, refrigerator for use in railway cars, both passenger and freight. Its use in the latte type will not only keep a lower temperature, but will prevent the drying out of fruits and vegetables and retain the natural flavor therein.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an improved device which is adapted to operate at high frequency and unde extremely heavy loads.

Additional objects of the invention are to effect simplicity and efficiency in such methods and apparatus and to provide an extremely simple device or apparatus of this kind, which is economical, durable, and reliable in operation, and economical to manufacture and install.

Still other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds; and while herein details of the invention are described in the specification and some of the claims, the invention as described in some of the broader claims is not limited to these, and many and various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as claimed in said broader claims.

The inventive features for the accomplishment of these and other objects are shown herein in connection with an evaporato which, briefly stated, includes a vibratory pan or plate adapted to have a liquid retained thereon and means for vibratin the pan.

In the accompanying drawing showing, by way of example, two of many possible embodiments of the invention:

Figure l is a transverse vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, showing one form of the evaporator.

Figure 2 is a fragmental plan of peripheral portion of the pan.

Figure 3 is a schematic representation of another form of the evaporator; and

Figure 4 is a wiring diagram, showing a means for energizing the evaporator.

The evaporator, as shown in Figure 1, comprises a flat horizontal base It] and a spider member I I, having downwardly turned legs I 2, provided with feet I4, mounted on the upper face of the base, as by screws I5. The hub portion I 6 of the spider member is provided with an axially vertical aperture I-I, through which a vertical rod I9 is disposed and adapted to reciprocate therein.

A vibratory pan 20 is secured fast on the upper end of the rod and above the hub portion and comprises a disk or plate 2| of thin substantially rigid material provided with upward indentations to form cones 22, each having a hole 24 at the apex; the marginal portions of said hole being sharp and projecting substantially vertically. A thick rim 25 of rubber or other suitable resilient material is secured on and around the peripheral portion of the disk for purposes described later herein. IA. helical spring 25 of sufiicient strength, Wound around the upper end portion of the rod and slightly compressed between the disk 2| and hub portion I 6, carries the weight of the pan. An armature 28 on the lower end portion of the rod is actuated by a solenoid 29, fixedly mounted on the base III.

In operation, if the evaporator is to be used for domestic purposes, the pan 20 is filled with a liquid 30, such as water, until the liquid level is slightly below the holes 24 in the cones 22. The terminals (not shown) of the solenoid 29 are connected to a suitable source of current, such as cycle A. C., whereupon the pan i vibrated and the liquid 38 therein is continually agitated, causing droplets 3| of liquid to be thrown into the air space about the pan, 7

At the same time, with each downward movement of the pan, the funnel shaped underside of the indentations causes a relatively large amount of air to be funneled upwardly through the disk, while on each upward movement the relatively small eifective pressure area causes but little air to flow downwardly. The net effect is an upward movement of air, as shown by the arrows 32, through the disk, which movement has definitely been demonstrated by smoke trails. Because of the movement of air as described, the cones 22 act as Venturi or Pitot tubes, causing a reduced pressure on the liquid 30, thereby increasing the rate of evaporation of the liquid and lowering the temperature of the surroundings.

The rubber flange 25, in addition to retaining the liquid on the disk 2|, reduces noise from the vibrating pan in the form of the invention, as shown in Figure 1. In this form the evaporator is especially adapted to home use, since it is portable and can be located in any suitable and convenient place. In other installations, other suitable liquids may be used instead of water, such as ammonia.

In the embodiment of the invention, as shown in Figure 3, the rubber flange 25 may be mounted by retaining rings 34 to hold the disk in a large hole in a horizontal wall 35. This wall may be the floor of a room or a cover of a closed compartment. In, this embodiment, the disk 2| is vibrated bya rod l9. connected to an eccentric 36 by means of a connecting rod 38. The eccentric 36 is driven preferably by a variable speed motor 39, which also may drive a fan 40 for drawing fresh air through a duct 4|, such as from theexterior of a building if desired, or the, duct may lead from any other locality, such as anotherpart of the space to be cooled. Obviously; the' disk'2i as mounted in Figure 3 may be vibrated by a solenoid as shown in Figure 1.

The current supplied to the solenoid 29 may be taken from any suitable source; but for heavy duty work I' prefer to discharge a large capacity condenser through thesolenoid'to energize same.

By such action ahigh' peak voltage may-be applied-to cause sudden downward movement of the disk and high velocity air passage through the cone holes 24, thereby obtaininga maximum V nturi effect to lowerthe pressure onthe evaporating liquid30andenhance-the evaporation and cooling eifect; The disk is restored toits upper position relatively slowly bythe spring 26 or resilience of the rubber flange 25,. if the latter is mountedon a rigid support, as in Figure-3.

A wiring-diagram-for condenser discharge supply of' current isshown in Figure 4, wherein a large capacity condenser 44 is chargedby a suitable'sourceof direct'current LiLz. The terminal ends of the solenoid 29 are connected to'the respective sides of the condenser and a mercury vapor'discharge tube'switch 45, as described in Patent No. 2,287,541, is interposed between the solenoid and condenser. The ionization of the vapor in the switch may'be controlled-by asuitable control 46 to produce discharges'at a determined frequency, or if the ionization of the switch 45' is" continuous and the circuit is oscillatory, the rea-ctance of the circuit maybe varied as by a variable inductance 48 to'control the frequency. Thus the frequency of the current and the vibration otthe plate or'pan may be varied over'a' wide rangeinto'the order of several kilocyclesper second;

It is obvious thatslight changes maybe made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the several parts, as shown, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of. my invention, and I do not; therefore, wish to limit myself to the exact construction and arrangement shown and described herein.

Having thus described" my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. An evaporator and humidifier comprising a mounting member, having an axially vertical bearing aperture, a, vertical rod disposed through the aperture and adapted to reciprocate vertically therein, a vibratory pan fixedly secured on the upper end of the rod and above the mounting member, said pan comprising a disk of thin substantially rigid material, provided with upward indentations to form cones, each having a. hole at the apex, the marginal portions of the hole being sharp and projecting substantially vertically, a thick upstanding rim of resilient material around the peripheral portion of the disk, a helical spring around the upper end portion of the rod and slightly compressed between the disk and mounting member, and means for reciprocating said rod, substantially as shown and described.

2. In combination a flat horizontal base, a spider member having downwardly turned legs provided with feet mounted on the upper face of said base, the hub portion of the spider memher having an axially vertical aperture, 3, vertical rod. disposed through said aperture and adapted to reciprocate therein, a vibratory pan fixedly secured on the upper end of the rod and above the hub portion, said pan comprising a disk of thin substantially rigid material provided with upward indentations to form cones; each having a hole at'the apex, the marginal portions of the hole being sharp and projecting substantially vertical- 1y, a thick upstanding rim of resilient material disposed around the peripheral portion of the disk; a helical spring around the upper end portion of the rod and slightly compressed between the disk and the hub portion, an armature on the lower end portion of-the rod, a, solenoid fixedly mounted on the base for actuating the armature, a condenser having each side thereof connected to each respective end terminal of the solenoid, amercury vapor discharge tube interposed between one side of the condenser and one terminal of. the solenoid, and means for controlling the. ionization of the vapor in the tube.

ALFRED VANG;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of' record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,939,302 Heaney Dec. 12, 1933 1,092,334 Burhorn Apr. '7, 1914 1,108,853 Sewell Aug. 25, 1914 1,207,061 Maas Dec. 5, 1916 2,223,348 Boedeker et al Dec. 3, 1940 1,908,033 Liva May 9, 1933 862,856 Tygard Aug. 6, 1907 

